1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adjustable basketball goal height devices and, in particular, a device which includes a visual indication of the goal height.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desirability of providing a basketball stand whereby the height of the goal can be adjusted to accommodate children of various heights has been well known in the sports toy industry. A number of devices for adjusting goal heights have been disclosed in the prior art. Typical of these devices are those disclosed in the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,367 to Haston et al, this patent disclosing a portable basketball assembly which utilizes a single wrench cable to move a basketball goal to a regulation playing height and also to intermediate playing heights; U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,337 to Gillespie, this patent disclosing a basketball goal height reducing device for both securing an auxiliary basketball goal/backboard assembly at a lower height with respect to a primary basketball goal/backboard assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,702 to Pulley, this patent disclosing a basketball hoop and board support structure which includes a telescoping brace structure to hold a parallelogram structure in a predetermined position; U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,676 to Bearson et al, this patent disclosing a basketball goal which can be vertically adjusted by means of a screw member: U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,324 to Bearson, this patent disclosing an adjustable basketball goal wherein a cable/pulley arrangement and associated stop means are utilized to provide for vertical height adjustment: U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,288 to Chervenka, this patent disclosing means for adjusting the height of a backboard by utilizing a screw member and associated support members; U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,040 to White, this patent disclosing a basketball goal mounted on a parallelogram supporting structure, the goal being raised or lowered by threaded members between portions of the supporting structure; U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,422 to Cramblett, this patent disclosing a basketball backboard adjustment operable to adjust the height of a basketball goal which utilizes a track-carriage device for moving the goal vertically, a user operated screw moving the carriage along the track to a predetermined position: U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,394 to Broussard, this patent disclosing a health-sports apparatus which includes a rim and backboard the height of which can be adjusted by means of a plurality of ratchets; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,101 to Andersen, this patent disclosing a basketball hoop height adjustment structure and similar to the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,702 and further including a device for braking backboard support structure descents.
Although the aforementioned devices all provide various features for adjusting the height of a basketball backboard and hoop, they generally incorporate relatively expensive mechanical components many of which are subject to periodic breakdowns. In addition, none of the prior art references noted above provide a visual indication of the goal height as the adjustment is being made.